Strange Ranger
Portland, OR

Photos by Fiona Woodman

About

Strange Ranger (fka Sioux Falls) is an Indie-Rock/Post-Punk band from Montana, now based out of Portland, Oregon. The band was formed by the duo of Isaac Eiger and Fred Nixon, who have been playing music together since 2009 when the pair were still in high school. A friendship solidified by their mutual love of early Modest Mouse, the two would eventually make the move to Portland in search of more fertile musical soil. The band would struggle to solidify over the next few years but those hardships would lead to their breakthrough debut full-length, the sprawling Rot Forever under the name Sioux Falls, released in February of 2016. From there it has been a whirlwind of notoriety for the band. Rot Forever was named one of Consequence of Sound's 'Top 50 Albums of 2016.' Later in 2016 the band would change their name to Strange Ranger and release a new EP, Sunbeams Through Your Head, which would make Stereogum's list of "Great EPs from 2016." Those two releases would also lead Stereogum to name Strange Ranger one of "2016's Best New Bands." Along with that name change, the Sunbeams Through Your Head EP would be a prelude of the direction to come for the band with their next release.

Over the Winter of 2016/2017 the band would record their sophomore full-length, entitled Daymoon. Due to be released on Tiny Engines in the Fall of 2017, Daymoon naturally evolves from the expansiveness of Rot Forever in favor of a smarter and more focused approach. Because of that the album feels more subdued and organic in its approach. While Rot Forever seemed like a band throwing absolutely everything out there, Daymoon pulls back and showcases a heightened attention to detail from the group. Yet that honest heart-on-sleeve songwriting still remains even if the band has chosen subtler paths to deliver their message. It a tasteful evolution for Strange Ranger and one that looking back will be seen as a bridge to something even greater to come in the future.